And it was doing nothing for her. If only there were an off switch on the back of her head. She would reach around and flip it down and be wonderfully blank.
Instead she took another pill.
Cassidy had never been one to like baths. She was too type A to be anything but a shower girl. But now she remembered the candles Rick had bought her back when he was first wooing her, the expensive bubble bath. In the bathroom, Cassidy ran the water until it nearly reached the edge of the tub, lit the candles, grabbed her glass of wine, and lowered herself into the water. A few minutes later, she began to feel the familiar melting sensation in her arms and legs. The Somulex was finally kicking in.
Chapter 12
Pierce Residence
Allison picked up the phone to call Child Protective Services, but instead of a dial tone, all she got was a fast busy signal. Again. The phone lines were still overwhelmed, even though the radio and TV stations were urging everyone to stay off the phone unless it was an emergency. She held Estella on her lap, the useless phone loose in her hand. "I guess she's ours to take care of, at least for now," she told Marshall.
He crouched down on his heels. "Well, that's not such a hardship, is it, sweetheart? Aren't you a pretty thing. And smart. I can tell just by looking at those bright eyes that you're smart."
Estella watched him, her face serious, her rosebud lips pressed together as if she were waiting for something.
"Maybe try something in Spanish," Allison said. "You know more than I do."
"Which is hardly anything," he said. Then he looked at Estella. "Hola. Me llamo Marshall," he said. He reached his hand toward her, fingertip extended.
To their surprise, she flinched, then turned her head and started to cry softly, a repetitive, exhausted sound. Allison pulled the little girl to her chest and patted her back.
"It's like she's afraid of me." Marshall stood up and took a couple of steps back.
"Oh, I don't think so," Allison said, but part of her worried he was right. Maybe not afraid of Marshall, but of another man. Some man in her life. The thought made her heart contract. Had anyone ever hurt Estella? Even uttered a harsh word to her? "I think she's had a terribly long day, and you're just one more stranger looming over her. We've had hours to get used to each other." Turning Estella back around, she still held her close, thinking that the girl might be able to feel her heart beating against her shoulder blades. Maybe she could think like a mother after all.
"Do you think she's hungry?" Marshall asked. Then he turned his gaze to Estella, careful not to come any closer. "Comida?" He looked at Allison. "I think that's it, anyway. I don't remember the word for hungry, but I think comida means food. Comida, Estella?"
Estella licked her lips.
At the sight of her little pink tongue, Allison said,"I think you got her interest." Then a bit of panic set in. "What do we have in the house to feed a child, Marshall?"
They both liked to cook, with the result that their refrigerator was stocked with items like capers, kalamata olives, and roasted red peppers. And what was Estella used to eating? Did they have any tortillas in the house? Or refried beans? And what if all she really wanted was something like a Pop-Tart?
Allison's earlier feeling of confidence was evaporating. Weren't there rules about what you fed toddlers, like no grapes or hot dogs or hard candies, so they didn't choke? And what about allergies?
"We'd better not give her peanut butter," she said. "Or any kind of nuts. What about milk? Do you think milk would be okay?" She looked at Estella. "Leche?" she hazarded.
Estella looked interested. So, a glass of milk. Allison wondered if they had any plastic cups.
"I think we've got one of those blue boxes of mac and cheese," Marshall said. "Don't all kids like mac and cheese?"
They all ended up eating the mac and cheese, although Marshall couldn't resist grating half a block of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar into the pan.
Before they took their first bite, he said grace. "God, thank You that You kept us all safe today. Thank You for bringing Estella and Allison together, and help us to get Estella back to her family. And help this city to get back to normal--and for this crime to be solved. Loving God, watch over us."
"Amen," Allison said, and then ladled pasta onto everyone's plate.
In lieu of a booster seat, Estella was perched on the yellow pages. She had only consented to leave Allison's lap when their two chairs were placed side-by-side.
"Nicole and I were supposed to meet with Jim Fate tomorrow. He was getting death threats."
"Guess they were more than threats," Marshall said. "Did he say who they were from?"
"He didn't say much at all." Allison sighed. "And now it's too late to ask."
"Do you think it's terrorism?"